So how do I learn it?

R

RangerRove

New member
Hi guys,

I just do not see a way to learn how to produce.Like I do not see any type of book or anything that teaches you this.How did Noah 40 Shebib become Noah 40 Shebib?How did Young Metro Boomin become Young Metro Boomin,just how did they learn all that?The technical stuff the creative stuff just everything.Everytime I am asking I get answers like "watch yt tutorials".Well YT tutorials mostly deal with FL Studio , but I use Cubase.And beside that,Kanye West for example,or Timbaland did not even have YT at their time.So how did they learn it?By just trying out? I do not believe that.Do you have any tips for me like anything?
 
Usually people start in some other capacity in music (musician, DJ etc.) then build their skills and take on more responsibility over time. A musician might start assisting a recording engineer, then start engineering less known artists, then start making suggestions about the music itself, then get noticed by bigger acts. A DJ might start making his own beats, then get hired to make beats for a specific artist, then start making other good suggestions to the artist. In the old days if you wanted to be an engineer you would beg to be a lackey at a studio (sweep up, fetch coffee, clean the toilet) until you proved yourself reliable, then they might show you how things worked and let you record unknown bands at night.
 
Try, fail and learn. And try to follow the known path's.

For instance a production mostly starts with a beat build with drums and then base. So you do that to.
Analyse existing music, and do the same. Listen to exciting songs and try to make some similar.
But also try to keep 'your own thing' in it so it becomes and stay's your work. Otherwise you will become nothing more than a copy of one.

Tell you a secret. If you analyse existing songs you will discover that they technically there basics aren't that difficult as you thought they were. ;)

With al the 'rules' which exist about 'how to do', in the end there are no rules. If what you make is found nice by yourself, and even better by others, then who's right is it to criticise?
Look at music history. Which musician's made hit songs and got famous? Those who did something new, something a bit different (mostly slightly new over basically the same as done before).
 
1 You have to want to learn
2 You have to get the equipment that's required
3 You have to be play with the equipment; try different things
4 You have to listen to how others do things, then figure that out
 
Learning how to do it is only part of doing it. You also have to meet the right people and get the chance to show what you can do. That means being involved in the scene in some capacity, even if it's not your intended activity, long enough to make connections. For example, if you worked as a DJ you could slip in some of your homemade beats. Maybe a local rapper would like what you've done and use your work on a recording. Then you've got an album credit you can use to get more work making beats for other artists. Once you've got a good rep you might get your other ideas heard. Artists start bringing you in for recording sessions. Voila, you're a producer.
 
No matter what time period the producer lives in, it takes a lot of hard work and trial and error. Also a great love for the music. A book or a youtube video can help you learn some stuff but it takes a bit more than that to be a producer.
 
Yes. To become a professional producer is indeed a huge challenge which takes lot's of time. And if you don't have the feel for it at start, it will always be the question if you even become a good one.

But for us home-producers it is good to be done to make a nice song which many people like. It's were you put your goal.
To get up a staircase you have to start with the first step of it to reach the next. Sometimes you can skip a step, but you can't start on top of the staircase. Step by step.

And although technique is important, the best hit songs are mostly build around personal character. That's were it starts. Recording is only the capturing of something which at start needs to be good. :cool:
 
I'm on a youtube crusade - so many "how to" when virtually all never live up to the promise, either bigheaded idiots, or really clever people with no communication skills. Youtube is great for the kind of how to video when you know the process and need guidance. Like when you want to do a specific thing in photoshop - you watch (probably ignoring the commentary) and spot the hidden menu, or clever little on witch you missed.

How to be a producer? As aid by others - trial and error and lots of hard work - plus a dose of luck. That is it. No special process, or magic tricks - and even if there were, would they be the same on a different genre. I don't think I could produce anything in genres I don't have experience with. I'd get a product, but it would be beginner quality because all my tricks and tips wouldn't fit.
 
I can only advise from the technical side. People seem to think it is a Black Art? It isn't, the maths of audio circuits are basic MPG/MPH (Ohm's Law) and logs, 'O' level stuff (well! I did logs 55yrs ago and I ain't got no 0 levels!) for decibels.

Learn about the various audio connectors, cables and Operating Levels. Gain staging. There is NO magic here! All is subject to the laws of physics.

A VERY good book about audio electronics is Small Signal Audio Circuits by Douglas Self.

Can you play an instrument? If so, great advantage. Can you play two? Guitar and piano say? Bigger advantage. Can you read music> MASSIVE advantage. Are your musical tastes wide ranging? I love classical stuff, J S Bach is my top bloke but I can headbang to Quo with the best of them.

Some one once asked a famous jazz musician what 'swing' was. " If you have to ask, you ani't never gonna know!"

Dave.
 
How does one climb a mountain? Step by step. The first requirement is a sincere desire to get to the top of the mountain. If you have the passion for it nothing will stop you from trying to climb the mountain. It's a life long journey for most of us. Many attempt to conquer it, to "get to the top" but very few actually ever get there. But it's an awesome journey and no matter where you end up on the mountain, the life experiences and new perspectives you gain about music, recording, life, business and yourself is worth the effort if you're intentions where pure and sincere when set out on the journey. If you're only really interested in doing this because it seems like a glamorous way to get chicks and become filthy rich you're wasting your time. Become a pimp.



So....if your intentions are sincere...

Surprisingly no one here has suggested that you go knock on local recording studios doors and offer to be a "work for free" or almost free intern. I suppose you could even try e-mailing or calling them but I have always found face to face to be the best way to sell myself.

Study the music you like, listen closely to the mixes and what they did both from a song building perspective and a mixing perspective.
You didn't mention how advanced a musician you are if you know nothing about music it would help to take some music classes at the local college.
Voice, Music History, Music Theory, a piano class etc.

On the recording side it has become so freeking easy and inexpensive to lay down some tracks. A $100 4 track interface gets you rolling ...connected to an old mac or PC a ton of free and or almost free software. Some the main being Garage band and logic for Mac. Reaper ( Mac or PC ), Audacity and many more free trial versions for PC...personally other than Pro Tools which is the industry standard Reaper is the software I promote as it is is free to experiment with and only $65 for a personal use license that last for many iterations of the ever changing beautiful software it is.

Visit sites like this and ask questions...look on Craigslist and call the guys offering to record tracks and see if they'll let you "help out for free" / intern.

Good luck!
 
There's no shortcuts, you have to work at it and buy really expensive gear. I'm sure M&M didn't record in his bedroom.
 
You don't have to buy 'really expensive gear' The equipment the Beatles and before them the Stateside stuff was recorded on was WAY below the quality of a $200 interface. You can buy superb microphones today for a fraction of those Elvis was singing at (and HE went out on 78s FFS!) .

You DO have to learn how to use it and the biggest lack is a good room plus the fact that most were first class musicians and could get a 'balanced' band sound before they started to record... Only way to do it back then.

Dave.
 
The most important thing that they all learnt, first up, before any audio skills, was to put a space after the full stop with their sentences. I feel that this is what's holding you back.
 
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